One-day-old infant’s death exposes illegal adoption by Coimbatore couple

The Mettupalayam police have launched an investigation after a one-day-old infant, illegally adopted by a Coimbatore couple from Kumbakonam, died on February 5, 2026 (Thursday). 

The police were informed by the authorities of the Government Hospital, Mettupalayam, on Thursday that a male baby died under suspicious circumstances. They questioned a 39-year-old woman and her husband, who brought the infant to the hospital, and found out that they had adopted the baby from a woman in Kumbakonam illegally.

According to the police, the couple brought the infant to the hospital on Thursday after the child developed health complications while returning to Coimbatore from Kumbakonam after the adoption. They initially took the baby to a hospital in Avinashi, from where they were advised to go to Mettupalayam GH.

A police officer said that the couple got married 18 years ago but did not have any children. Preliminary investigations revealed that the woman hails from Kumbakonam and has been residing with her husband at Kanuvai.

“As per the woman’s statement, she adopted the infant through her sister in Kumbakonam. The police are in the efforts to trace the mother of the infant. We are yet to ascertain whether any financial transaction was involved in the adoption. The post-mortem examination on the baby was performed on Friday and results are awaited,” said a police officer.

Meanwhile, police sources said that the investigation might get transferred to Kumbakonam as the illegal adoption took place there.